Behavior Support Specialist

South Lane Mental Health Job Description Page 1 of 3

Behavioral Support Specialist

Reports to: ICTS Manager

Behavioral Support Specialists make connections with youth ages 3 to 18 to provide training on skills to reduce the impact of mental health symptoms, and work with adult care providers to educate them about the nature of the emotional problem/psychiatric disability, provide child management and supervisor skills, and participate in Collaborative Problem Solving.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Provide Skills Training to Clients

• Build helping relationships with clients, including helping clients identify personal strengths, find resources needed to acquire skills and supports, and assist clients in developing and implementing individualized plans.

• Participate in one-on-one skills training sessions with clients to help clients build and implement techniques to manage their psychiatric disability/emotional problem. Conduct skills training sessions wherever there is a problem coping with stress, whether that is at the home, at the school, or in the community.

• Implement an established emotional intelligence curriculum, and select appropriate sections of the curriculum to use in a given situation.

• Provide family support as necessary and appropriate, including providing support for parents and other caregivers of clients.

• Assist clients with identifying symptoms, goals, and methods for achieving goals.

• Identify and provide appropriate skills training to clients based on the service plans.

• Provide crisis services as required.

• Understand that many clients have been traumatized and strive to constantly provide services from a respectful, trauma-informed perspective.

Participate in the ICTS Treatment Team

• Regularly attend ICTS team meetings, and collaborate with other ICTS team members to identify strategies to provide quality care to ICTS clients.

• Coordinate care with other members of the ICTS team, as well as other providers, families, courts, schools, etc. as required to assist the client succeed in meeting individual goals.

• In collaboration with the ICTS team, create behavioral support plans for assigned clients.

• As requested, participate in Child and Family Team Meetings and work with adult care providers (parents, foster parents, teachers) to provide nurturing support to caregivers and assist with improving the family system.

• Assess safety of self and others in community/home situations, respond to safety concerns, and coordinate with the team to ensure appropriate safety while seeing clients.

Complete administrative and continuing education responsibilities

South Lane Mental Health Job Description Page 2 of 3

• Schedule appointments with assigned clients, and coordinate and maintain appointment calendar.

• Complete all required paperwork, including notes on each session and individual client paperwork, in a timely manner.

• Meet requirements regarding productivity and dependability.

• Coordinate with co-workers and treatment teams, including participating in complex case reviews or family systems reviews as necessary.

• Actively participate in clinical supervision, as well as staff meetings.

• Engage in continuing education activities and trainings, and continually build therapeutic skills.

• Participate in completeness and quality reviews as required.

• As required, positively represent SLMH in the community and with other service providers, and/or act as a liaison with other organizations or with internal committees/cross-departmental teams.

• Perform all duties in a respectful and responsible manner, both with clients and coworkers, and in a manner that meets all professional ethical standards.

• Additional duties as requested.

Qualifications:

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in social services, behavioral health, or a related subject; or at least 3 years of active employment in the field of mental health service provision.

• Ability to obtain MHACBO registration and be credentialed as a QMHA; or Peer Support Specialist Certification and inclusion on the Traditional Health Worker Registry.

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of mental health assessment, treatment and service terminology, and ability to apply these concepts.

• Ability to implement skill development strategies for youth and adults.

• Skill in identifying, implementing, and coordinating the services and supports identified in an Individualized Support Service Plan.

• Ability to respond calmly and professionally in high-stress situations and respond constructively to clients in a mental health crisis.

• Strong oral communications skills, and ability to write in clear, clinically appropriate language.

• Ability to balance clinical, cultural, and ethical values, particularly as relates to client and staff needs.

• Ability to interact positively with people of all ages and cultural background.

• Ability to work both independently and as part of a collaborative team environment.

• Sound computer skills.

Working conditions and physical requirements:

• This is a physically active role, located in partially an office environment and partially in many community locations, including client homes, and requires regular interaction and engagement

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with youth. The employee is regularly required to talk or hear, walk, stand, communicate through speech, and use tools or controls. Occasional need to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

• Valid Driver’s License Required; travel between offices, client homes and community locations required multiple times per day and ability to respond to locations up to 50 miles a way in a timely fashion required.

Additional Information:

Credentialing

QMHA

# of Positions

5 (5 FTE)

FLSA Status

Non-Exempt